Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
variability reaches its zenith with the biotype
Erioli, once believed to be identical to Uva del
Fantini (also known as Pianoro 350), but
research has shown this to be untrue. Overall,
Negretto is a very regular, dependable producer.
It is very resistant to oidium, while botrytis
bunch rot and spring frosts are a risk (even
though it doesn't budbreak or fl ower particu-
larly early in the season). Giorgio Erioli told me
recently that “Negretto grows particularly well
on hillsides, where it was always traditionally
grown in the area of Bologna. In contrast to
Albana, Montuni, and other varieties relegated
to poor-quality fl atland vineyards, Negretto was
always given the choicest positions.” Today,
Negretto grows all over Emilia-Romagna, espe-
cially in the provinces of Bologna and Ravenna
(mainly around Forlì and Faenza), though only
in sporadically planted vineyard plots.
with delicate aromas and fl avors of small red
berries and sweet spices, usually with low alco-
hol (rarely more than 11 percent), high acidity,
and vibrant but civilized tannins. It matches
extremely well with red-berried tarts, sweet
pancakes, and desserts made with chestnut
fl our.
wines to try: Erioli-Laura Malaguti*** (Maio-
lus; also makes a critically acclaimed sparkling
rosé in the Champagne tradition, with second-
ary fermentation in the bottle, and a lovely
sweet Passito di Negretto) and Ognibene
Luigi** (Naigar Tèn; the estate practices biody-
namic agriculture and its wines hark back to
past traditions, featuring long macerations on
the skins and aging in wood barrels).
Negro Amaro
where it's found: Puglia, Basilicata, Campa-
nia. national registry code number: 163.
color: red.
Though experts and novices alike believe
the amaro in this variety's name refers to the
tannic structure or a bitter quality in the wine,
in reality Negro Amaro derives from the Greek
and Latin words mavros and niger, both of which
mean “black” and refer to the dark color of the
berries rather than to the color of the wine
(which is actually not that somber, usually). I
also need to clarify the variety's correct spell-
ing, as people everywhere get it wrong (in Italy
too): Negro Amaro is two words, with a space
between them, as you see written in this topic.
Perhaps because of its importance and dif-
fusion within Puglia, Negro Amaro has long
been written about and saddled with many dif-
ferent spellings. Montefi ore (1916) wrote about
Negramaro and Moscato infected by fanleaf
virus. Vitagliano (1980) preferred the
Negroamaro spelling, while Bianchi spelled the
variety Nero Amaro in his 1893 topic describ-
ing the grape in Basilicata. Still, Negro Amaro
it is, and this is not just a moot point: a few
years ago, a Puglian wine producer was fi ned
for having the wrong spelling of the variety's
Which Wines to Choose and Why
In the past, Negretto was always made as a
fresh, lightly sweet wine best drunk soon after
harvest; locals matched it with fruit tarts, dry
cookies, ravioli with saba (a sweet syrup made
from grape must), and cakes made with chest-
nut fl our. Unfortunately, for most of the twenti-
eth century it went missing, reduced to a curi-
osity only good for local consumption. In 2004,
the Centro Ricerche Produzioni Vegetali in
Tebano proceeded with the fi rst-known experi-
mental microvinifications of monovarietal
Negretto, after identifying at least seven bio-
types of the grapevine. The wine was appreci-
ated for its color and complex aromas but less
on the palate, where it was found to be slightly
bitter. Since then, greater care in fermentation
temperatures and length of macerations have
ensured better rather than bitter wines. Giorgio
Erioli explains: “Negretto's real problem is its
irregular buildup of sugars, which is highly
variable year to year, and so wines vary in
extract and alcohol. The latter can range any-
where from 10.5 percent to 13 percent or more,
depending on the vintage.” In my view, the
wine, though not exactly the last word in com-
plexity, is absolutely delightful, light red in hue,
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